To Put A Lock On A Glock Or Not

by Joel ForgeAugust 22, 2017

This is not about Glock handguns, per se. It is about what choices to make for a prepper or survival handgun(s) for your personal and property protection regardless of a Bug In or a Bug Out option. This includes any scenario involving a forced escape from your primary residence in the face of any type of SHTF, natural, unnatural, social or political.

By Dr. John J. Woods, a contributing author to SHTFBlog & Survival Cache

The One Gun Approach

One of the approaches many preppers take is to settle on selecting one handgun, pistol or revolver system. For purposes here, it does not matter what brand you elect to buy. There are too many to evaluate here including Glock, Beretta, Springfield Armory, Ruger, Smith and Wesson, Kimber, Colt, HK, Browning, CZ, FNH, Remington, SIG-Sauer or whatever. That bottom line choice, though a difficult one, still resides with the individual prepper and their needs, desires, and interests.

The “one gun” approach permits the prepper and his support family and/or prepper team to consolidate on a single handgun in one caliber with magazines, support gear, ammo, carry pouches, cleaning supplies and all else for just the one gun system. Everybody has and uses the same gun, same everything. This approach goes a long way toward simplifying a lot of things.

It also permits the concentration of training and practice on the one gun. Regardless of who you are or where you are in the house, vehicle, or Bug Out hideaway, that person only has to concern themselves with deploying one gun they should know intimately well.

Supply for everything becomes simple. One stock of extra magazines loaded with the same caliber or type of ammunition, one holster, one magazine holder(s), carry gear, and all else. It is a strong and plausible approach. It also has economic benefits as well.

The Multiple Gun Approach

Other prepper contacts I know go this route. They have a full complement of handgun firearms in 3-4 different calibers including .357/.38 Special, .380 ACP, 9mm, and .45 ACP. They have one or more handgun models in each of these without regard to consolidating to one brand or gun type. They simply want and argue for the option of different power levels, and the flexibility to own and use multiple handguns.

Admittedly in their cases, most of them are highly organized so everyone knows what is what, where it all is, and have been fully oriented to each gun. Though they admit this took some time in training and range work, they are satisfied with their multiple gun choice. The extra expenditure of funds for ammo and support gear does not bother this group.

So, here’s the Deal

Which do you think is the better approach? Preppers tend to love guns. Some are even collectors of modern and older firearms. Nothing wrong with that. But in practice, in a SHTF survival scenario, which is the better way to go?

I can understand the point in wanting at least one handgun of superior power, a .357 Magnum, 10mm, or .45 ACP. Those could be more difficult for women or youth to shoot well, but maybe not. Common sense might dictate to elect just one handgun model, one caliber, and one set of support gear and supplies. What is your approach?